Watchman s time-recorder



(No Model.)

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J. P. MOLAUGHLIN. WATGHMANS TIME RECORDER.

Patented June 3, 1890.

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Patented June 3, 1890.

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J. P; MOLAUGHLIN. WATGHMAN'S TIME RECORDER.

No. 429,360. P nt dJune 3,1890.-

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J. P. MOLAUGHLIN. WATGHMANS TIMEREGORDBR.

No. 429,360. Patented June 3,1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. MCLAUGHLIN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. I

WATCHMANS TIME-RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,360, dated June 3, 1890.

Application filed March 13, 1890. Serial No. 343,698. (No model.)'

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES F. MOLAUGHLIN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVatchmens Time-Detector Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to improvements in systems of apparatus comprised in an electric circuit known in the art as watchmens time-detectors, and its object is to provide new and improved means for securing an effective and reliable check upon watchmen whose duty it is to visit and inspect a number of outlying stations in a certain circumscribed district at certain predetel-mined times.

My system is designed more particularly for detecting any delinquency in the performance of the duties of such watchmen, and, broadly speaking, it comprises an electric circuit running through the district assigned to a watchman, and having at each outlying station a device which the watchman is instructed to operate at predetermined intervals, and which when so operated will make an inetfaceable record and will close the circuit, whereby an electrically-actuated recorder will mark the fact of the visit of the watchman at one of the outlying stations provided he has visited that station and operated the apparatus there located at the proper predetermined time, at which time an automatic circuit-closer located at a point not accessible to the watchman will in its turn close the circuit. In other words, the circuit in which the electrically-operated recorder is included is open both at the auto matic circuit-closer and at each of the outlying stations, and only when the circuit is closed at both points simultaneously will the electrically-operated recorder respond, all of which will more fully appear from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure l is a representation, mainly in diagram, of a watchmans time-detector system, showing the combined mechanical recorders and circuit-closers, the automatic circuit-closer, and the electrical recorder embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the combined-mechanical recorder and circuit-closer with the casing removed. Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations of the same at right angles one to the other,

with the casing in place, and shown in central section. Fig. 5 is a section on the line .19 0c of Figs. 2 and 4. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the electrical recorder. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same with a portion broken away. Fig. 8 is a side elevation similar to that shown in Fig. 6, but with certain parts removed. Figs. 9 and 10 are elevations of opposite ends of the paper-carriage with the supports and drive-shaft for one of the paper-drums in section. Fig. 11 is a longi tudinal section of the upper end of the electrical recorder, and Fig. 12 is a view illustrating the means for locking the paper-carriage Shifting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, and more par ticularly to Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, there is shown the combined mechanical recorder and circuit-closer 1, having a circular metallic base-piece 53, secured in any suitable manner upon a circular block Mounted upon the base 2 and eiitending centrally across the same is a casting 4, consisting of two end pieces or posts 5 5 and a horizontal strip 6, connecting and integral with the upper ends of the Said posts. This casting constitutes a supporting-frame for parts to be described.

The stripb is expanded in the middle, as shown at '7, and is there formed into an upwardly extending hollow stud S, forming a bearin g for a ratchet-wheel 9, which, as shown, is of that type known as a crown ratchetwheel, and above it the Stud 8 receives a washer 10, held thereto by a suitable set-screw. The ratchet-wheel 9 has a central hub, in which is formed an annular groove 11, containing a helical spring 12, bearing against the strip (3 (see Fig. 5) and tending to lift the ratchetwheel from the said strip 6; but this tendency is resisted by the washer 10, and the frictional contact thus produced between the ratchetwheel and its bearings holds it against accidental movement around the stud.

A push-button 18 has its stem 14 extending through the hollow stud S and projecting below the strip 6, which is perforated for this purpose, and the end of the stem engages a contact-lever about midway of its length. This lever is pivoted at one end in a bracket 16, secured to the base 2, and is normally maintain ed in an elevated position by a spring 17, held to the base 2 by the said bracket 16. The other or free end of the lever has a cylindrical continuation 18,carrying an arm 19, which extends upward to one side of and above the ratchet-wheel 9 and terminates in an angle-extension 20, projecting over the upper face of the said ratchet-wheel, where it carries a pointed screw-pin 21, the arrangement being such that when the contact-lever is depressed by the push-button the pointed end of the screw-pin 21 will be carried into a groove 22, formed in the upper face near and concentric with the edge of the ratchet-wheel.

The cylindrical continuation 18 of the contact-lever 15 extends through a slot 23, formed in one arm of a bell-crank lever 21, pivoted in a bracket 25, mounted on the base 2, the other end of the said bell-crank lever carrying a spring-actuated pawl 26, arranged to engage the teeth of the crown ratchet-wheel .9 in such manner that when the slotted end of the bell-crank lever 2% is depressed by the contact-lever 15, when the latter is acted upon by the push-button, the pawl will engage one of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 9 and rotate the same the space of a tooth, and when the bell-crank lever moves in the other direction the pawl 26 will ride down the incline of the next succeeding tooth, and will by its actuating-spring be raised into operative relation to the shoulder of said tooth.

The contact-lever 15 has aplatinum contact-point 27 011 its under side, and in the path of this point 27 there is another contact-point 28 011 the free end of a spring-arm 29, which is supported at the other end upon a block 30 of insulating material, and is connected to the terminal of the electric conductor 31, another conductor 32 being connected directly to the metallic base 2. On the upper face of the ratchetwheel are a number of pointed pins 33, for receiving and holding a disk Set, of paper, which is pressed down upon the said wheel. If now the pushbutton, and through it the contact-lever 15, be depressed, the circuit through the conductors 31 32, if otherwise unbroken, will be completed through the base 2 and contactlever 15 when the points 27 and 28 are brought into contact, and at the same time the ratchet-wheel will be turned on its axis the space of a tooth in the manner before described, and the pointed pin 21 will be carried downward until it engages and indents or perforates the paper disk 31 and enters the groove 22 on the face of the ratchet-wheel, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. \Vhen the push-button is released, the spring 17 lifts the contact-lever 15 to its raised or normal position, thus breaking the circuit at the contact-points a7 28 and returning the pawl 26 and pin 21 to the normal positions. As

often as the push-button is depressed the circuit (if otherwise unbroken) is completed and the paper disk St is punctured after it has been rotated the space of a teeth, so that the paper disk contains a record of the number of times the push-button has been operated.

In order to prevent the paper-record disk and the mechanism of the mechanical recorder from being seen or tampered with by unauthorized persons, there is provided a casing 35, which, as shown, is circular in shape and rests on a ledge formed on the base 2, and it is provided with a central opening for the passage of the upper end of the pushbutton. In the lower inner edge of the easing there are one or more recesses 36, into each of which extends a short guide-pin 37, projecting from the base 2 above the ledge thereon, and, as will be readily understood, these pins prevent the turning of the casing when on the base 2 and mark the location of the casing with relation to the locking mechanism. This locking mechanis1n-consists of a rock-shaft 3S, journaled in and near the lower ends of the posts 5, and beyond these posts the shaft carries hook-arms 39, which, when the said shaft is turned on its axis in one direction, engage pins 40, projecting inwardly from opposite sides of the casing. One or both ends of the shaft 38, beyond the arms 39, may be ap 'n'opriately shaped to receive a key, by means of which the said shaft 38 may be turned, and in the casing opposite such key-receiving end of the shaft there is a key-hole 41. It is evident that any other kind of lock may be used in place of the one described for securing the mechanical recorder against tampering.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 6 to 12, which illustrate my electrically-actuated recorder operating in conjunction with and in response to the action of the mechanical recorder, there is shown a base 42, upon which is mounted a rectangular frame, consisting of a bottom plate 13 and two standards ll- 45, rising from the ends of the bottom plate. This rectangular frame is secured to the base by lugs 13, as shown. Against each standard 11 15 is screwed a skeleton plate 16, which, as will presently appear, eonstitute the supports for the paper-carriage. An electro-inagnet l7 is secured with its yoke to the standard 44, as shown in Fig. 6, and the legs of the magnet extend toward the standard 15, with its poles in operative relation to the extended armature 47 of an armaturelever as, which is pivoted between lugs 45), formed on the bottom plate 43. This armaturelever rises up to nearly the top of the skeleton frame-plates 1-6. It is expanded at its lower end, to which the armature is secured, and is otherwise peculiarly shaped, as will appear farther on. The armature-lever is forced away from the electro-magnet by a pin 51 and secured to the stand spring 50, acting upon a sliding confined in a sleeve 52,

ard 44 and extending to within a short distance of the said armaturelever. The movement of the armature-lever away from the magnet is limited by a stop-screw 53, extending through a nut formed in the standard 45. Above its expanded lower end the armaturelever is bent, as shown, to bring its upper end opposite a ratchet-wheel 54 near one end of a shaft 55, journaled in bearings formed in the two skeleton plates 46 of the frame near their upper ends, and extending through and pivoted in a slot formed in the armature-lever near its upper end there is a gravity-pawl 56, with its nose in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, so that when the armature-lever is vibrated the ratchet-wheel and shaft will be rotated step by step in a forward direction in a manner well understood.

The skeleton plates 46 are connected at their upper ends by rods 57 58, held to the said plates by screws 59; but the rod 57 is free to be rocked in a manner hereinafter described. Hung from these rods 57 58 is the paper-carriage 60, consisting, essentially, of a suitable frame and two paper-drums 61 and 62 mounted thereon, the said frame consisting of two U-shaped side pieces 63 63, connected by spacing-rods 64. At the upper ends of each side piece 63 there are angleextensions 65, in which are formed eyes for the passage of the rods 57 58, before referred to, and the paper-carriage is free to be moved longitudinally upon the rods. To effect this movement, there is provided a rod 66, extending horizontally from one of the side pieces 63 of the paper-carriage frame through one of the skeleton plates 46 of the main frame and terminating in a head 67, between which and the paper-carriage the rod is provided with a number of equidistant annular grooves 68.

To look the paper-carriage in any adjusted position, there is a latch-plate 69, having a slot at its lower end, so that it will fitinto any one of the grooves 68 and embrace the said rod 66. This latch-plate 69 is secured at one end to the rod 57 by one of the screws 59, and at the other or free end is formed into a hook 71, which fits over one of the screws 59, securing the rod 58 to the skeleton frameplate 46, and serves to support the said latchframe in the closed position. A knob 72 on the latch-frame is provided for conveniently manipulating the same. The shaft 55 passes centrally through and serves as a spindle for the paper-drum 61, and there is also a pin 73 secured to the ratchet-wheel 54 and entering a longitudinal perforation in the drum 61, so that when the ratchet-wheel is rotated step by step the drum will participate in such rotation, while at the same time it may be adjust-ed longitudinally thereon. The drum 61 is connected to the paper-carriage to move with it by means of a neck 74 at one end of said drum, terminating in an expanded head or flange 75 and seated in a socketformed between two ears 7 6,1'ising from the central portion of one of the side pieces of the said papercarriage. The drum 61 is provided with a rubber or other facing 77, and journaled in and at one side of the frames of the papercarriage adjacent to the said drum 61 there is a pressure-roller 78, also having a rubber facing 79. Formed integral with and depending from the side pieces 63 of the paper-carriage frame there are hangers 80, in the lower ends of which there are inclined slots 81, forming seats or bearings for the gudgeons of the drum 62. A web 82 of paper is carriedby the drum 62, which is flanged, as shown, and one end of this web is secured to the other drum 61, so that when the latter is rotated in the manner before described the said web will be unwound from the drum 62 and onto the drum 61. Between the two drums and in the path of the paper web there is a platen 83, consisting of a rod secured at the ends in the two skeleton plates 46 of the main frame, and opposite this platen 83 there is a stylus 84, consisting, as shown, of a pointed screw mounted in the upper end of an arm 85, secured to an offset 86 of the armature-lever48 and curved, as shown, so as to extend therefrom under the paper-carriage and upward to a point opposite the platen. I

It will be observed that when the armature-lever is attracted by the electro-magnet' the stylus is moved away from the platen, so that each time the paper web is fed forward in the manner hereinbefore described the stylus is moved out of its path, so that it is not injured in any manner thereby, and when the magnet is de-energized and the armaturelever is moved in the other direction by its spring the stylus is brought into contact with and indents or punctures the paper web. This operation is repeated each time the magnet is energized and until the paper web has been wound from the drum 62 onto the drum 61, or until it is desirable to shift the papercarriage on its supports, in which case the latch-plate 69 is turned about its pivot and releases the rod 66, when the said paper-carriage may be moved longitudinally and the latch-plate returned to its first position, e11- gaging another groove in the said rod 66. However, the stylus must be moved away from the paper web during the operation of ad justing the paper-carriage, and also while the paper web is rewound onto the drum 62, and for this purpose the rod 57 has on the end opposite to that to which-the latch-plate 69 is secured an eccentric 87, on which is mounted one end of an eccentric-rod 88, the other end of the said rod being provided with a slot 89, into which projects a pin 90 on the upper end of the armature-lever. The arrangement is such that when the latch-plate is moved from its closed position it carries the rod 57 partly around its axis,'and thereby causes the cocentric-rod 88 to move longitudinally and draw the armature-lever toward the papercarriage until the stylus is out of engagement with the paper web, after which the said web IIO may be wound from one drum to the other, or the carriage maybe shifted longitudinally on its supports in the manner before described.

For convenience in determining the adjusted position of the paper-carriage there is a scale-plate 91, (see Fig. 7,) mounted on the carriage, and an index finger or pointer 02, depending from the fixed rod 58 and in front of the said scale-plate.

In order to turn the drum 61 on its axis without manipulating the armature-lever, there is provided a milled head 03 on the shaft 55, which for this purpose projects beyond one of the skeleton frames a6.

Referring' now to Fig. 1,there is illustrated a watchmans time-detector system embodying my invention and including the electrical recorder, an intermittent automatic circuitcloser, and as many mechanical recorders as there are out-stations in the system. The intermittent circuit-closer is shown as an ordinary clock or time-piece, on the minute-hand arbor 94 of which there is secured a metallic disk J5, having radial contact lugs or teeth 96 projecting from its periphery and spaced to agree with the ten -minute divisions on the clock-dialthat is, there are six lugs on the disk, However, anyother number of contact-lugs may be used. Bearing at all times against one face of the disk 95 there is a contact-brush 97, secured to and insulated from the clock-frame and arranged to make successive contact with the lugs or teeth 96, and thus intermittently complete the circuit through the said disk 95. There is another brush 98, also secured to and insulated from the clock-frame. As shown, the brush 98 is connected with one terminal of the coils of the magnet l7 of the electrical recorder by a line-conductor 99, and the other terminal of the coils of the magnet is connected to an electric battery 100 by a lineconductor 101, and the other brush 97 is connected to the mechanical recorders (which are coupled in multiple are) by a line-conductor 1.02. These mechanical recorders are in turn connected to the battery by a line-coir ductor 103.

A watchmans time-detector system with apparatus constructed substantially as described, and arranged with the intermittent circuit-closing clock and the electrical recorder at a central station and the mechanical recorders at out-stations to be visited sueccssively at intervals of, say, ten minutes, will operate as follows: The watchman, in strict obedience to his instructions, is supposed to depress the push-button at each out-station at times when some one of the lugs 96 on the disk 95 is in contact with the brush 98, thus completing the circuit, and at the same time indenting or puncturing the paper disk 3t in the manner before described. 011 the closing of the circuit the magnet 1-7 of the elec trical recorder is energized and attracts the armature 48, thereby moving the stylus 84: away from the paper web 82, and at the same time advancing the latter in the manner hereinbefore described. W'hen the circuit is broken, either at the out-station or at the clock, while the push-button is still depressed, the magnet 47 is de-energized, releases the armature-lever l8, which is returned to its first position by the spring 50, and carries the stylus 8i into contact with the paper web, thus indenting or puncturing it.

Should the watchman fail to visit a station at any time during his rounds, it will be evident that the paper record at both the particular out-station and at the central station will not show the necessary numberof indeir tations or punctures, and should the watchman arrive at an out-station after the proper time the circuit will have been broken at the clock, and while he may produce a record at the mechanical recorder at such out-station no record will be produced at the central station, and consequently the discrepancy be tween the two records will at once reveal the delinquency of the watchman.

As will be readily understood, the clock may be replaced by any other form of intermittent circuit-closer which will close the circuit momentarily at regular intervals.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut- 1. In a watehmans time-detector system,

the combination of a series of mechanicallyoperated recording circuit-closers with an electrical recorder operating in response to any of the mechanical circuit-closers and an automatic intermittent circuit-closer in circuit with the mechanical and electrical recorders, substantially as described.

2. In a watchmans time-detector system, the combination of a series of mechanicallyoperated recording circuit-closers with an electrical recorder operating in response to any of the mechanical circuit-closers and an automatic periodical circuit-closer in circuit with the mechanical and electrical recorders, substantially as described.

3. In a watchmans time-detector system, an electric circuit including one or more mechanical circuitclosers located at outlying stations, an automatic periodic circuit-closer, and an electrically-actuated recorder located at a central station, whereby the recorder at the central station can only be actuated when the circuit is simultaneouslyclosed at an outlying station and at the periodic circuitcloser, substantially as described.

I. In a watchmans time-detector, a combined mechanical circuit-closer and recorder consisting, essentially, of a contact-lever, a paper-carrier actuated by said lever, and a i'ecording stylus carried by the contactlever in operative relation to the paper-carrier, substantially as described.

5. In a watehmans timc-detector, a combined mechanical circuit-closerand recorder consisting of a contact-lever, a rotating paper-carrier, a pawl-lever operated by the con- ICC tact-lever and actuating the paper-carrier, and a recording-stylus carried by the 0011- tact-lever in operative relation to the papercarrier, substantially as described.

6. In a watchmans time-detector system, a recorder consisting, essentially, of an electromagnet, an armature-lever actuated thereby in response to intermittent electrical impulses, a paper-carriage for feeding the record-paper, and a recording-stylus connected with the armature-lever, and feed mechanism actuated by the armature-lever for advancing the pa per, substantially as described.

7. In a watchmans time-detector system, a recorder consisting, essentially, of an electromagnet, an armature-lever actuated thereby, 

